The next meeting of the Nashville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Monday, November 17th, 2014, in the visitor’s center of Ft. Negley Park, a unit of Metro Parks, Nashville, TN. This is located off I-65 just south of downtown between 4th Avenue South and 8th Avenue South on Edgehill Avenue/Chestnut Avenue. Take Exit 81, Wedgewood Avenue, off I-65 and follow the signs to the Science Museum. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM and is always open to the public. Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed.

We in Middle Tennessee are now entering our second part of the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War. Two years ago we commemorated Fort Donelson, the fall of Clarksville and Nashville, various smaller battles and raids ending with the Battle of Stones River. We now are back in the national limelight with John Bell Hood’s Tennessee Campaign of October-December 1864. Within this are battles in Georgia (Allatoona Pass); Alabama (Decatur) and, of course, Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville.

The program this month will focus on the Battle of Franklin, whose five hours of combat are probably the most intense of the entire Civil War. Charge after charge against entrenched Federals, some armed with repeating weapons and backed with artillery, assaulted by the Confederates with little artillery support and single shot muskets. Six generals fell; over 50 regimental commanders, numerous field grade officers and some 7000 plus men before the fighting was over when darkness ended it. The Confederate Army of Tennessee was gutted and Union Gen. John Schofield was able to move his army, its mission of delay accomplished, to the safety of the massive fortifications of Nashville.

Franklin has been the subject of numerous campaign and battle books but this month we will get to hear historian Robert Cross’ interpretation of the battle. Rob has studied this fight for many years as part of his career as a military historian in Middle Tennessee. His impassioned deliver and knowledge of the battle will be on display when he delivers his program to the Nashville Civil War Roundtable this month.

Rob Cross is a military historian, with his area of expertise concentrated on the American Civil War, and the Vietnam War. Since his formal training at the University of Memphis, he has worked in multiple battlefields and Civil War sites including The Carter House, Carnton Plantation, Belle Meade, and Rippavilla Plantation. He has presented programs across Middle Tennessee tom conferences and historical groups and is an experienced tour guide. He is the current Military Historian for Franklin on Foot, and lives in Columbia, Tennessee, where he continues ongoing education in his tradecraft.

Last Month’s Program

We certainly appreciate the fine program by author and historian Scott Sallee on the Civil War in Northeast Missouri and the Palmyra massacre. The Trans-Mississippi theater was important to the war but it little studied by many people today. Thankfully, historians like Scott bring this theater to life via their lectures, research and books. If you were not able to attend this meeting, Scott is a member of the Nashville CWRT and he would be happy to get you a copy of his book on this program and sign it for you. Thanks Scott for the excellent program.

MEMBERS AND DUES– The membership has decided that every May will be our fiscal year. Please plan on taking care of your membership renewals at this meeting. The annual dues structure for the Nashville CWRT is as follows:

Your dues for the 2014-2015 fiscal year are now due. Please plan on paying them at this month’s meeting if you have not already. Your dues go to bringing in our speakers, donating to causes, etc. If you are current you will have four stars on your name badge.

When your dues are paid your name badge with four stars on it will be available at the following meeting. If your badge does not have three stars on it then you are not current. Our dues go to paying for speakers as well as donations for Civil War preservation causes especially those of a local nature. Please be sure to pay your dues so we can offer the best programs possible for you! We also utilize donated items for silent auctions each month to help add to the treasury. If you have something you would like to donate for these auctions, please bring them to the meetings. Books, art, or anything Civil War, works very well. Thanks very much to all of you who have made such donations!

From Spring Hill to Nashville, Middle Tennessee will have a plethora of events to observe the events of 150 years ago. There’s far too many to list here but visit the websites of these organizations for more details and events:

The Lotz House, Carter House, Carnton Mansion in Franklin for tours, events, Ed Bearss dinner and tour and much more. In Nashville, the Battle of Nashville Preservation Society will be part of the many events planned including a symposium, tours and more. Visit their web site and those of Belle Meade, Traveler’s Rest, Fort Negley and others for the information and dates that you need to support them.

Short newsletter this month folks due to my work schedule this time of the year. I really need to move the newsletter duties to someone else as I no longer have the time to write it. Hopefully someone can step forward to do so for the sake of our CWRT.

The next meeting of the Nashville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Monday, July 14th, 2014, in the visitor’s center of Ft. Negley Park, a unit of Metro Parks, Nashville, TN. This is located off I-65 just south of downtown between 4th Avenue South and 8th Avenue South on Edgehill Avenue/Chestnut Avenue. Take Exit 81, Wedgewood Avenue, off I-65 and follow the signs to the Science Museum. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM and is always open to the public. Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed.

OUR SPEAKER AND TOPIC – “Canada and the Civil War”

Our great neighbor to the north, Canada, was one of the crown jewels of the British Empire in the mid-19th Century. Much is known about how Britain was outraged when one of her steamships was stopped by a U.S. Navy vessel carrying two Confederate diplomats, James Mason and John Slidell. Britain dispatched troops to the Dominion of Canada but cooler heads prevailed. The United State could not fight the Confederates and Great Britain at the same time. Somewhat less known was the activities of the Confederate Secret Service that operated out of Canada. This is about the extent of Canada’s involvement in the American Civil War that most people have heard of. But there was much more.

This month’s special speaker, Conrad Laplante, president of the Ottawa Civil War Roundtable, will bring to our meeting this month an in depth look on how Canada was affected by our Civil War, American-Canadian relations and how the Civil War actually caused Canada. The war was indeed a shared experience.

That being said, there is much that is little known about the Canadian involvement in that amazing conflict. Just look at the index of any of the major works on the Civil War and search for Canada or Canadians and you will find little mention. This program will correct that error. Many of the facts and figures that will be presented will come as quite a surprise. Without giving away too much, there were thousands of Canadians who participated. The blood of Canadians is in the ground of just about every battlefield of the Civil War. We have some heroes, villains, and untold numbers of ordinary soldiers, some of whom achieved remarkable things. All of these stories will be part of the program.

Conrad Laplante was born and raised in Ottawa, the capital of Canada. After a full career with the military (retired as chief warrant officer, Militia) and government civil service, he now devotes his time to studying American-Canadian relations. Conrad graduated from the University of Ottawa with a BA (Honours) History degree, and is the current president of the Ottawa Civil War Round Table. He is the author of a local history book, At Your Target In Front, Fire!, The Story of Connaught Range.

Please join us for what promises to be a very unique and interesting program and welcome our guest from our great neighbor.

Last Month’s Program

We are massively informed and entertained last month by Chicago Police Department detective Robert Girardi, noted Civil War author on the murder of Union General William “Bull” Nelson by Union General Jefferson C. Davis. Despite witnesses to the event, and the lack of proper prosecution by the U.S. Army, tied up with the invasion of Kentucky by the Confederate armies of Braxton Bragg and Edmund Kirby Smith, Davis not only got away with the murder, but was promoted to corps command for Sherman’s March to the Sea. Nelson could be arrogant but he backed that up with solid battle performance. The speculation of how Perryville might have been had he been commanding one of Don Carlos Buell’s corps was brought out in Girardi’s program. Besides being an interesting Civil War event, Girardi’s own professional experience as a homicide detective really added tremendously to the program and the study of the case. It was delivered with complete knowledge of the topic and with humor and style. This is one of the best programs the Nashville CWRT has had and we thank Rob, and his guest Paula Walker, president of the Civil War Roundtable of Chicago, the nation’s first CWRT. We were most happy to have them both.

MEMBERS AND DUES– The membership has decided that every May will be our fiscal year. Please plan on taking care of your membership renewals at this meeting. The annual dues structure for the Nashville CWRT is as follows:

Your dues for the 2014-2015 fiscal year are now due. Please plan on paying them at this month’s meeting if you have not already. Your dues go to bringing in our speakers, donating to causes, etc. If you are current you will have four stars on your name badge.

When your dues are paid your name badge with four stars on it will be available at the following meeting. If your badge does not have three stars on it then you are not current. Our dues go to paying for speakers as well as donations for Civil War preservation causes especially those of a local nature. Please be sure to pay your dues so we can offer the best programs possible for you! We also utilize donated items for silent auctions each month to help add to the treasury. If you have something you would like to donate for these auctions, please bring them to the meetings. Books, art, or anything Civil War, works very well. Thanks very much to all of you who have made such donations!

CIVIL WAR NEWS AND EVENTS

More Great News From Franklin, Tennessee on Battlefield Reclamation

The news from Franklin continues to be exciting for saving more and more of that battlefield. According to the recent Save the Franklin Battlefield newsletter, a new parcel just south of the Carter House, currently home to the well known flower shop and one other building, is being purchased for $2.8 Million for the 1.6 acres. Located literally right next to the Carter farm office, this would be a key addition to the site. Funding is planned from grants, donations and other sources. STFB has also secured a strip of land along Meadowland Drive, part of the new Loring’s Advance area by the Carnton Manor. When cleared, the land will be added to that new park land.

Finally, the moving of houses from Cleburne Avenue continues with yet more homes being moved to new locations. The land will be incorporated into the planned Battle of Franklin park that is planned. Restored earthworks, trails and interpretive markers, plus a reconstructed Carter Gin will enhance the visitor experience.

Another short newsletter this month due to a lack of time on my hands to do anything longer. We desperately need a newsletter editor to take over these monthly duties; I simply do not have the time to do it. All that is need is the writing of the newsletter with the programs, Civil War news, etc. using the same format that has been used since we began as a CWRT. I will provide the template to use. Hopefully someone will step forward to handle this. Please let us know at the July meeting. – Greg Biggs

The next meeting of the Nashville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Monday, May 19th, 2014, in the visitor’s center of Ft. Negley Park, a unit of Metro Parks, Nashville, TN. This is located off I-65 just south of downtown between 4th Avenue South and 8th Avenue South on Edgehill Avenue/Chestnut Avenue. Take Exit 81, Wedgewood Avenue, off I-65 and follow the signs to the Science Museum. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM and is always open to the public. Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed.

OUR SPEAKER AND TOPIC – A Landscape Transformed: Fortifications of Middle Tennessee in the American Civil War

In a desperate attempt to take and hold the Tennessee and Cumberland River valleys, armies blue and gray dug deep into it, creating chains of fortifications across the landscape. Looking back, these bastions have been overshadowed by the battles and skirmishes that raged around them. Thomas Flagel looks at one structure in particular, Fort Granger in Franklin, Tennessee, and finds that, compared to the deadly 1864 Battle of Franklin, it was the lifespan of the fort that ultimately caused more destruction to humans, animals, and the environment.

Thomas Flagel is an assistant professor of American History at Columbia State Community College in Tennessee. He holds degrees from: Loras College (B.A., History); Kansas State University (M.A., European History); Creighton University (M.A., International Relations); and has studied at the University of Vienna. He is currently a doctoral student at Middle Tennessee State University (Public History).

Flagel serves on the Battle of Franklin Trust board of directors, Carter House board of directors, the Franklin Battlefield Preservation Commission, Franklin’s Charge board of directors, and works with many other preservation groups, including the Civil War Trust.

He is also the writer and narrator of “Sesquicentennial Stories” on WAKM Radio, a series that was nominated for the Peabody Award in 2011. Flagel currently resides in Franklin, Tennessee.

The next meeting of the Nashville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Monday, February 17, 2014, in the visitor’s center of Ft. Negley Park, a unit of Metro Parks, Nashville, TN. This is located off I-65 just south of downtown between 4th Avenue South and 8th Avenue South on Edgehill Avenue/Chestnut Avenue. Take Exit 81, Wedgewood Avenue, off I-65 and follow the signs to the Science Museum. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM and is always open to the public. Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed.

In the Civil War, music was one of the most important divergences that soldiers in the field could turn to. Singing around campfires, in hospitals, at home visiting family, was a critical part of their lives. It reminded them of being human amid the massive carnage of the war. Publishers of sheet music selling the most popular songs were the record companies of their day. Regiments had bands that played concerts on a regular basis. Music was everywhere and some songs from the war remain popular to this day. Elvis’ hit “Love Me Tender” was new lyrics put to a Civil War song.

Our speaker this month, Steven Hoskins, will explain how and why music was so important in the Civil War era both for the soldiers and the civilians at home. It was very much the social glue that held the American fabric, North and South, together. Steven Hoskins, a native of Sumter, SC, teaches Church History and New Testament Greek. He is the director of the American Association for State and Local History’s Management for History Professionals Program. Dr. Hoskins will explore the music played and sung during the Civil War.

LAST MONTH’S MEETING

Linda Barnickel, archivist at the Nashville Public Library, Nashville Room, gave an inside view of the Battle of Milliken’s Bend; a battle that helped prove that black soldiers would stand and fight under combat conditions. Ms. Barnickel’s presentation was interesting and informative about a little known but important battle in the Vicksburg Campaign.

MEMBERS AND DUES– The membership has decided that every May will be our fiscal year. Please plan on taking care of your membership renewals at this meeting. The annual dues structure for the Nashville CWRT is as follows:
Single membership – $20
Family – $30
Military – Active duty and Veterans – $15
Military Family – Active duty and Veterans – $25
Student – $10
Senior (age 60 plus) – $15
Senior couple – $20

When your dues are paid your name badge with three stars on it will be available at the following meeting. If your badge does not have three stars on it then you are not current. Our dues go to paying for speakers as well as donations for Civil War preservation causes especially those of a local nature. We also utilize donated items for silent auctions each month to help add to the treasury. If you have something you would like to donate for these auctions, please bring them to the meetings. Books, art, or anything Civil War, works very well. Thanks very much to all of you who have made such donations!

On Thursday, February 13, 2014, beginning at 6:00 pm, Fort Donelson National battlefield will start paying tribute to soldiers and sailors who took part in the epic battle. The 13th will be a tribute to Confederate soldiers and U. S. Navy gunboat crews.
The 14th will be a commemoration of the naval-shore batteries battle that took place on February 14th, 1862 – the Day of Iron Valentines..

February 15th will mark the 152nd anniversary of the “Confederate Breakout” with a special caravan tour. (Reservations for this program are required, and may be made by calling (931)232-5706, ext. 108). At 2:00 pm, Sam Davis Elliott with discuss his book, Isham G. Harris of Tennessee: Confederate governor and United States Senator. The 9th Kentucky Infantry (USA) living history group will be at the Fort Donelson National Cemetery where discussions of various subsequent engagements in the area will be discussed.

On Sunday, February 16, 2014, the Fort Donelson Book Club (Murray, KY group) will meet at 3:00 PM to discuss Emmy Werner’s Reluctant Witnesses: Children’s Voices from the Civil War. We will meet at the Calloway County Public Library, where a limited number of copies are available for participants.

On Thursday, February 27, the Fort Donelson Book Club (Dover, TN group) will meet at 6:00 PM to discuss Charles B. Flood’s “1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History.” A limited number of copies are available for participants at the park visitor center, where the discussion will be held.

All programs are free and open to the public. Schedule is subject to change in case of inclement weather or unsafe conditions. Updates will be made to the park’s website at http://www.nps.gov/fodo. Fort Donelson National Battlefield is located in Dover, Tennessee on US Highway 79. This is about 90 minutes from Nashville.

RAISING THE HUNLEY film showing, Johnsonville State Historic Park, February 17th 2014

The 150th Anniversary of one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the American Civil War features the National Geographic movie which goes in search of the truth about the ill-fated Confederate submarine CSS H.L. Hunley. The film is showing at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. in the Johnsonville State Park, Civil War Museum-Visitor Center. This park is located off US Hwy 70 before the Tennessee River in New Johnsonville, TN. You can take I-40 west to Exit 143/Tennessee Hwy 13. Head north and then turn left on US Hwy 70. For more information call 931-535-2789

Annual Battle of Chickamauga Seminar in the Woods – March 7-8, 2014

Noted Chickamauga historian Dave Powell and Chick-Chat National Military park historian Jim Ogden hold another of their annual Seminars in the Woods, a tactical tour and study of different aspects of the three day Battle of Chickamauga. The purpose of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Study Group is to create a forum to bring students of the American Civil War together to study and explore those events in the fall of 1863 that led ultimately to the creation of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park … “for the purpose of preserving and suitably marking for historical and professional military study the fields of some of the most remarkable maneuvers and most brilliant fighting in the war of the rebellion.” The tours begin on Friday, March 7 continuing on Saturday, March 8, 2014. Friday’s tours will involve a tour bus. We will be charging a small fee for use of the bus.

Cost: Beyond the fee for Friday’s Bus, there is no cost for tour participation. Meals lodging, transportation, and incidentals, however, are the individual’s responsibility. For more details go to – http://chickamaugablog.wordpress.com/

This is a very popular tour led by two extremely good historians and experts on this campaign.

11th Annual Kennesaw State University Civil War Symposium, “1864, The Western Theater”, March 21-22, 2014

An outstanding group of presenters will lecture on a variety of topics having to do with the war in the Western Theater during 1864. These include, William C. Davis who will speak on General John C. Breakinridge, “Trying to Remain a Gentleman in the last gentlemanly theater of the war;” Richard McMurry, “The General in the Jar, Joseph E. Johnston and the Atlanta Campaign.” Steve Woodworth; “A. J. Smith’s Guerrillas and the Battle of Nashville;” Jim Ogden, “Inflicting All the Damage You Can, ‘Sherman’s War Resources’ Target;” and Craig Symonds, “Cleburne’s Memorial, Confederate Emancipation and the Meaning of War.” All are noted Civil War historians and authors.

The program begins on Friday, March 21, at 6 pm with a reception and entertainment by the 97th Regimental String Band. The festivities will be held at the Kennesaw State University Center. The symposium will get under way at 9 am on Saturday, March 22. This program will also be held at the KSU Center, 3333 Busbee Dr, NW, Kennesaw, Ga. This is located at Exit 271 right off I-75 in Kennesaw, GA north of Atlanta – only about 3 ½ hours from Nashville. They put on a fine seminar so please be sure to support it if you can.

War In Georgia: The 150th Anniversary of the Atlanta Campaign: Ringgold Through Kennesaw – March 27th-30th, 2014

A 150th Anniversary of the Atlanta Campaign tour will take place on March 27th-30th, 2014. The tour is a fund raiser for the Lotz House Museum in Franklin, TN. The fees are: Single person per room – $495 , Double per room – $390 each, Triple per room – $360 each

The tour is 50 per cent sold out as of now but there is still space available. The tour will cover all battlefields from Ringgold Gap through Kennesaw Mountain national Battlefield. Included will be newly opened sites at Resaca, GA. There’s also some exciting new additions to the tour!

Tour payments – The Lotz House Museum of Franklin, TN is the new sponsor and proceeds will go to them so they can continue telling the story of the Lotz family and the Battle of Franklin in November 1864. They will handle all payments for the tour, and a portion of your fee is tax deductible as they are a non-profit 501(c)3 agency.

To pay by credit card or debit card – call the Lotz House at (615) 790-7190. Just state that you are registering and paying for the “War In Georgia: The 150th Anniversary of the Atlanta Campaign,“ tour. They will take your name, address, phone number, card info and email address. Please be sure to inform them of how many are attending – single, double, triple. You will receive an email confirmation. If you do not have email, then give them your phone number in its place.

To mail in payment by check please send to – and be sure to put “Atlanta Tour” on the check and for how many people as well:

Lotz House Museum – 1111 Columbia Ave. – Franklin, TN 37064

WHAT DO YOU GET FOR OUR TOUR FEE?

• Four days of tours with Greg Biggs and Thomas Cartwright. Greg, president of the Clarksville TN Civil War Roundtable and an officer of the Nashville CWRT, grew up in Georgia and has led Atlanta tours since 1993. He also leads tours of the Fort Donelson Campaign, the Tullahoma Campaign and Where the River Campaigns Began: Cairo to Columbus/Belmont. Thomas is a well known tour guide and historian who is the expert on the Middle Tennessee Campaign of 1864 but also has experience in leading tours of Stones River, Shiloh, Parker’s Crossroads and other Civil War sites. He has also appeared on Civil War television programs and various documentaries.

• Three nights of hotels – Hampton Inn (Ringgold, GA, one night and Marietta, GA, two nights). These have free breakfasts each day.

• Cavalier Tours escort services who will handle almost everything you need for the tour including your luggage. The tour will be on a bus company coach who works with Cavalier on a regular basis

• Admission fees to the Tunnel Hill Civil War and Railroad Museum; the Southern Museum for Civil War and Locomotive History and the Pickett’s Mill State Battlefield Park (which is one of the most pristine battlefields in America).

• A complete set of tour maps for each battlefield.

• There will also be a Wednesday night program (March 26th) in Franklin with a tour and reception at the Lotz House Museum in Franklin. There will also be an orientation on the tour.

• Three excellent Civil War speakers for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights of the tour. These are Richard McMurry, noted author and speaker; Brian Wills, another noted author and speaker and director of the Civil War Center of Kennesaw State University; and Michael Shaffer, also an author and speaker and assistant director of the Civil War Center of Kennesaw State University. All three are included in the tour fee!

The tour will leave from and return to Franklin, TN. Lotz House is working on a secure place to park your vehicles while the tour is away. There is also a confirmed hotel in Franklin with a discounted rate for tour participants (not included in the tour price) for Wednesday night, March 26th. All of these details will be sent to tour participants as they develop.
For any questions, etc. please email J.T. Thompson of the Lotz House at – jtt@lotzhouse.com. You can also email Greg Biggs at Biggsg@charter.net or call his cell phone at – (931)217-4265.

Lotz House Civil War Museum in Franklin Adds To Its House Tour

Readers of this newsletter will recall the numerous artifacts discovered in the basement of the Lotz House in Franklin, Tennessee. Owner J.T. Thompson and historian John Marler, have been unearthing numerous items from the Civil War era buried in the basement of this historic home. These items are now part of a DVD and book that have been produced for sale that tells the story of the Forgotten Treasures Of A Forgotten battle: The Lotz House Cellar and the Battle of Franklin. Both items, along with other books, DVDs and more, can be purchased at the Lotz House.

The Lotz House is pleased to announce the new open cellar for private tours as part of this year’s Sesquicentennial commemoration of the Battle of Franklin. If you have any questions about the new tour or would like to speak to J.T. Thompson, please call 615-790-7190. The Lotz House is located on Columbia Pike right across from the Carter House in historic Franklin, TN. Stay tuned for more information about the events they will be holding for the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Franklin coming in November 2014.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Begins Series Of Programs On The Atlanta Campaign – 150th Anniversary

The 150th Anniversary of the Atlanta Campaign officially begins in early May 2014 and continues into early September. A load of events are being planned for this time frame from reenactments to tours to lectures and other programs. Towns from Dalton, Georgia to Jonesboro, GA are all involved. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield is front and center of many of them including a series of lectures.

The first lecture begins on Saturday, February 22nd, 2014 with a program on The Atlanta Campaign presented by Michael Shaffer, Assistant Director of the Civil War Center at Kennesaw State University. Mr. Shaffer is a regular speaker on the war in Georgia and is part of the River Line board seeking to preserve the remains of the Confederate defenses along the Chattahoochee River. The lecture begins at 2 PM. As Kennesaw Mountain is now the most visited Civil War battlefield, parking can be problematic. However, there is a special parking area for lecture participants that will be marked at the park visitors center. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield is located off I-75 at the Barrett Parkway exit. Turn right and then follow the signs to the park.

Civil War Seminar At Georgia Tech University in Atlanta – Saturday, April 12, 2014 – in the Student Center

Technology as it was applied to the Civil War — in weapons, military operations, medicine, equipment, communications, and transport — will be the focus of the symposium. Technological changes remote from the battlefield also shaped the conduct of war. Photography and new signal devices improved communications, both military and civilian. It was a period of transition to the full-fledged industrialized warfare of World War I: horses still mattered more than steam engines in the nineteenth century and more soldiers still died from disease in the Civil War than from wounds sustained. This symposium will examine the technological innovation and impact on warfare. Visit http://www.hts.gatech.edu/civilwar for information and registration or contact John Miller for information canoe4ever@gmail.com. There is no cost for this symposium, but please register. Accessible parking is available at the Student Center. The agenda tentatively includes:

The next meeting of the Nashville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Monday, November 18th, 2013, in the visitor’s center of Ft. Negley Park, a unit of Metro Parks, Nashville, TN. This is located off I-65 just south of downtown between 4th Avenue South and 8th Avenue South on Edgehill Avenue/Chestnut Avenue. Take Exit 81, Wedgewood Avenue, off I-65 and follow the signs to the Science Museum. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM and is always open to the public. Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed.

At age 19 Erastus Winters volunteered for the 50th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. In later life he wrote his memoirs and told of his service at Perryville, Atlanta, and Franklin, his experience as a POW in Cahaba Prison in Alabama after he was taken prisoner at Franklin and his survival of a maritime disaster. On April 27, 1865 winters was a passenger on the paddle wheeler SS Sultana with other POWs that had been released. The boat’s old and worn out boilers exploded on the Mississippi River near Memphis and went down with the loss of 1700 lives. Of this great maritime disaster Winters wrote, “At the time the boat blew up I was asleep on the cabin deck but when I came to wake up I found myself on the lower desk & then went out on the Bow of the Boat and helped through [i.e. throw] the gang plank out and get on it and drifted to land after being ducked about 15 times while hundreds of my comrades were lost… “(Quoted from “Civil War Archive of Corporal Erastus Winters, 50th O.V.I.”)

Lee Ann Newton will be our speaker at the roundtable this month. Ms. Newton is a historical commentator for Public Radio and a freelance writer. She co-wrote the Civil War novel, “Beneath the Shadows” with James A. Benson; and wrote the foreword for “The Memoirs of Erastus Winters, 50th Ohio Infantry.” Ms. Newton will lead us on an intimate journey through a life of hardship and adventure experienced by Mr. Winters. We hope you’ll come and join us for this informative program.

LAST MONTH’S MEETING

Nashville based Greg Wernke gave an interesting and enjoyable presentation on Henry and Spencer rifles in the Civil War. In addition to detailed information about each weapon he had on display, Greg also passed the rifle and rifle parts around for each one present to handle and inspect. The program turned out to be a very enjoyable meeting. Several questions were asked by audience members and Greg answered every one clearly and in detail. We’d like to thank Mr. Wernke for a first-class presentation.

FUTURE PROGRAMS:

December 2013 – Michael Bradley, author/historian – “The Raiding Winter: Western Confederate Cavalry Operations in December 1862” (Based on his new book.)

MEMBERS AND DUES– The membership has decided that every May will be our fiscal year. Please plan on taking care of your membership renewals at this meeting. The annual dues structure for the Nashville CWRT is as follows:

When your dues are paid your name badge with three stars on it will be available at the following meeting. If your badge does not have three stars on it then you are not current. Our dues go to paying for speakers as well as donations for Civil War preservation causes especially those of a local nature. Please be sure to pay your dues so we can offer the best programs possible for you! We also utilize donated items for silent auctions each month to help add to the treasury. If you have something you would like to donate for these auctions, please bring them to the meetings. Books, art, or anything Civil War, works very well. Thanks very much to all of you who have made such donations!

Civil War Trust announced the successful completion of a $1.4 million fundraising campaign to protect 109 acres of battlefield land associated with Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (NMP). The newly preserved land is located at historic Reed’s Bridge, site of the opening salvo of the battle of Chickamauga. The announcement was made at the Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission’s annual signature event in downtown Chattanooga. Trust President James Lighthizer said, “The Civil War Trust once again has helped our efforts to preserve key Civil War battlefields and to tell the whole story of a conflict that changed our nation forever,” said Van West. “The leadership and contributions of the Civil War Trust continue to help Tennessee and other states preserve and highlight the countless heritage treasures from the Civil War era.”

The veterans who established Chickamauga and Chattanooga as the first national military park in the late 1900s wanted Reed’s Ridge to be a part of the park. However, the land was private property and the finances couldn’t be arranged to purchase it. As far back as 1998 officials at Chickamauga and Chattanooga Military Parks and the Civil War Trust have given the purchase of the Reed’s Ridge property top priority.

In August 2013, the Trust announced a national fundraising campaign to protect Reed’s Bridge. The campaign was substantially aided by matching grants through the American Battlefield Protection Program and major contributions from the Lyndhurst Foundation of Chattanooga, the Williams Family Foundation of Georgia and the Georgia Battlefields Association, as well as the generous contributions of numerous individual donors. The necessary funds were raised in a matter of two months. The final disposition of the property will be to make it a part of the national park. Until this transfer is in place the property will be the responsibility of, and under the care of, the Trust.

Without question the acquisition of the Reed’s Ridge property will be helpful in the study and interpretation of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga battlefields. We look anxiously forward to the addition of the site into the national battlefield program. The battle of Chickamauga began there and it will add significantly to the tour of the Chickamauga field.

Tennessee Historical Society Releases Two More Volumes in the “Tennessee in the Civil War” Series

The Tennessee Historical Society is releasing a series of books over the sesquicentennial of the Civil War. The series consists of collections of articles from the Tennessee Historical Quarterly about the Civil War and its impact on Tennessee. Volume Six, “Emancipation and the Fight for Freedom: Tennessee African Americans, 1860-1900” and Volume Seven, “The Battles for Chattanooga” have been released. The volumes in this series sell for $25 each and can be purchased from the THS website or you can pick one up at the Fort Negley Gift Shop at the next Roundtable.

Titles for the preceding five volumes are, “Tennessee in the Civil War”, “The Civil War in Appalachia”, “The Battle of Shiloh”, “The Battle of Stones River” and “Forrest and the West Tennessee Cavalry Campaigns.”

Tennessee Historical Society Lecture Series at Fort Negley, November 7 and 14

The two Tennessee Historical Society Lecture Series topics for November are “Chronicles of the Cumberland Settlements” by Paul Clements to be given on November 7th, and “Looking Back: The Civil War in Tennessee” on November 14th by Myers Brown. Both lectures will run from 5:30 – 7:00 pm and will be held at the Fort Negley Visitors Center.

A celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address will be held at Fort Negley on Saturday, November 23rd. The celebration will feature Dennis Boggs as President Lincoln. Mr. Boggs is a much sought after Lincoln re-enactor and always gives a convincing portrayal. The 13th United States Colored Troops Living History Association will be on hand to handle the military aspects of the program. This group is very much in demand and participates in Civil War events around the mid-south. They have been at Fort Negley many times and always manage to delight visitors. A representative of the National Cemetery system and will give a presentation about the history and future of the system. The event is free and open to the public.

Illumination at Carnton and March to the Carter House, Franklin, November 30, 2013

The 2013 Illumination will be held at Carnton near the Confederate cemetery on November 30th. Commemorating the nearly 10,000 Americans killed, wounded or captured at the Battle of Franklin, 10,000 candles will be displayed at the illumination. Each year the Illumination is a public reminder that the cost of the war was great in lives and suffering of those who fought it.

Approximately 100 volunteers are needed to paint the dots on Thursday, November 29 at 10 am and four setting up and lighting candles at noon on the 30th. To get on the volunteer list email Leigh Bawcom at Leigh@Battleof FranklinTrust.org. Pickup trucks will be needed on Saturday to assemble and pick up the Illumination materials. For more details go to www.bofillumination.org.

On Saturday, November 30, Union and Confederate reenactors and civilians in period attire will honor all who fought at Franklin with a march to the Carter House. Organized by the SCV Sam Davis Camp 1293 and the SUVCW Fort Donelson Camp 62, the march will originate at two locations and converge on the Carter House. At 4 p.m., Nov. 30, 2013, men and women will assemble on Winstead Hill to be led by men in butternut or gray carrying the Confederate flag for a march to the Carter House. At the same time, another group will assemble at the Fort Granger sign in Pinkerton Park to be led by men in blue carrying the U.S. flag for their march to the Carter House.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend this important commemorative event.

The Battle of Nashville Preservation Society and Historic Travellers Rest Plantation & Museum will host a Friday evening dinner from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on December 6, 2013. Ed Bearss, expert on the Civil War and WWII eras, will be the guest speaker. Cost of the Bearss dinner at Travellers Rest is $100 per person. ($175 per couple) For reservations email Cryssa Hulsey at rentals@travellersrestplantation.org or call 615-8328197.

Mr. Bearss is the former Historian for the National Park Service and has authored several battlefield guidebooks and works on Civil War subjects. At age 90, Mr. Bearss shows no signs of slowing down.

Historic Travellers Rest and the Battle of Nashville Preservation Society will sponsor a bus tour beginning at Travellers Rest at 10 am, Saturday, December 7. The tour will visit seven major Battle of Nashville sites with narration by Ed Bearss and Nashville Preservation Society board members Jim Kay and John Ally. Stops include Cranberry’s Lunette, Redoubt #1, Redoubt #3, John Trotwood Moore Middle School, Fort Negley, Nashville City Cemetery and Shy’s Hill. Cost of the tour is $70 per seat. A box lunch will be provided. For reservations email Carissa Hulsey at rentals@travellersrestplantation.org or call 615-8328197.

The Nashville Civil War Show will be at the Williamson County Ag Expo Park on December 7, 8, 2013. Saturday hours will be 9 am to 5 pm. Sunday hours 9 am to 3 pm. Admission is $8 for adults, children under 12, free. The Ag Expo Park is located at 4215 Long Lane, Franklin, TN 37064. If you wish to participate in the show as a vendor, table cost is $85. For more information emaill: Mike@MKShows.com, or phone: 770-630-7296

The 149th Battle of Nashville event will be held on Saturday December 14, 2013. Speakers will include Dan Woodard, Greg Biggs, Cornelia McDonald, and Dr. Brian Wills. The 7th Tennessee Cavalry will be encamped and will lead cavalry demonstrations throughout the day. All events will take place on the grounds of Belle Meade Plantation from 10:00am-4:00pm. Admission to the event is free. Mansion tour tickets will be available for sale for all interested. For more information contact us at 615-356-0501 ext 148 or info@bellemeadeplantation.com

Park Rangers and volunteers will conduct a variety of tours and presentations telling the story of the bitter struggle at Stones River. In addition to these presentations, living history demonstrations will help to show conditions under which soldiers on both sides had to deal. For more information call the park’s visitor information line at (615) 893-9501.

Annual Battle of Chickamauga Seminar in the Woods – March 7-8, 2014

Noted Chickamauga historian Dave Powell and Chick-Chat National Military park historian Jim Ogden hold another of their annual Seminars in the Woods, a tactical tour and study of different aspects of the three day Battle of Chickamauga. The purpose of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Study Group is to create a forum to bring students of the American Civil War together to study and explore those events in the fall of 1863 that led ultimately to the creation of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park … “for the purpose of preserving and suitably marking for historical and professional military study the fields of some of the most remarkable maneuvers and most brilliant fighting in the war of the rebellion.” The tours begin on Friday, March 7 continuing on Saturday, March 8, 2014. Friday’s tours will involve a tour bus. We will be charging a small fee for use of the bus. The tours are:

Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 – George Thomas and the XIV Corps advance to Chickamauga.

In the morning, we will explore the XIV Corps crossing of the Tennessee, visiting Shell mound, Jasper, and Trenton between roughly August 30th and September 9th; much of this exploration will also include following Rosecrans and army headquarters since Rosecrans and Thomas spent much time together during these movements

Park at the Visitor‘s Center. The bus will depart and return from there. On Friday afternoon we will cross Lookout Mountain, and follow Thomas’s corps into McLemore’s Cove and then on to Crawfish Spring, in the town of Chickamauga.

For Saturday morning: 8:30 a.m. to Noon – The tour covers where Union Gens. Baird and Brannan Engage, September 19th. This tour will be part walking and part car caravan. The tour will return to the vicinity of Jay’s Mill and Winfrey Field, to explore the developing fight on September 19th. The primary focus will be on Brannan’s engagement with Wilson’s and Ector’s Brigades of Walker’s Confederate corps, Baird’s entry into the fight, and Liddell’s counter-attack. We will meet at the visitor’s center, and then car-caravan to Jay’s Mill Road. Saturday Afternoon: 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m -.Gordon Granger and the defense of Horseshoe Ridge. The tours finish on Horseshoe Ridge, following the Union Reserve Corps onto the battlefield and describing the ensuing action. It will focus primarily on that part of Horseshoe Ridge beyond Hill 3, out to the end of the Union line. Meet at the visitor’s center, and then car-caravan to Snodgrass Hill.

Cost: Beyond the fee for Friday’s Bus, there is no cost for tour participation. Meals lodging, transportation, and incidentals, however, are the individual’s responsibility.

Tour Departures:All tours will meet at the Chickamauga Visitor’s Center at the designated start time, and will depart from there after some brief overview discussion. We will board the bus or car caravan to the designated parking area, and from there, we will be on foot. We will be on foot for up to three hours, so dress and prepare accordingly. Tours will depart rain or shine. Participants are responsible for their own transportation, and should plan accordingly. All tours are designed to be self-contained, so participants who cannot attend the full schedule are still welcome to join us for any portion of the weekend.

Lodging and Meals: Everyone is responsible for their own lodging and meals. There are many hotels in the greater Chattanooga area, to fit most any price range. The closest are in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, with the least expensive in Ringgold. Each tour on Saturday is designed to leave at least 90 minutes for lunch, and there are several family and fast food restaurants within minutes of the battlefield. There are designated picnic areas near the Visitor’s Center, for those who wish to bring a lunch and eat on the field.

What to bring: Each tour will involve extensive walking. Proper clothing and especially footgear is essential. Dress in layers, wear sturdy, broken-in walking shoes or boots, and be prepared for some rain, as spring can be quite wet in North Georgia. We will be walking on dirt and gravel trails, uncut fields, and through stretches of woods. The ground will be wet and muddy in places. Bring your own water and snacks. For more details go to – http://chickamaugablog.wordpress.com/

Lotz House in Franklin, TN has two events

The Lotz House Museum, 1111 Columbia Avenue, across the road from the Carter House in Franklin, TN. is having two events. On Saturday, November 30th, they are having a blood drive in conjunction with American Red Cross. This will be held from 10 AM until 3 PM. To make an appointment please call (615) 790-7190. Please support this worthy event.

Secondly, on the same date, the Lotz House is sponsoring a 149th Anniversary of the Battle of Franklin tour with Thomas Cartwright and John Marler. Both are experienced guides and this tour will focus not only on the battle but also stories of the men that fought on both sides. The tour is limited to 50 people and costs $75 per person. The tour starts at 10:30 AM and ends at 2:30 PM. To secure your spot call (615) 790-7190 or email – battlefieldtours@lotzhouse.com

Tour guides Greg Biggs and Thomas Cartwright, in a fund raiser for the Battle of Franklin Trust, are conducting a tour of the Atlanta Campaign. The tour will cover Ringgold Gap through Kennesaw Mountain including such sites as Dalton, Snake Creek Gap, Resaca, Calhoun, Cassville, Dallas/New Hope Church and Pickett’s Mill and the first and second Kennesaw Lines. Some sites have several stops. The tour will be by bus and leave from Franklin, TN on Thursday, March 27th and return on Sunday, March 30th. Cost details are forthcoming with proceeds going to the Battle of Franklin Trust and will cover any museum fees, hotel rooms, guides and map sets for the tour. Keep your eyes here for more details as they develop.

In closing – we would like to give our thanks to John Cummins for handling our newsletter. Due to his career he has stepped down and Ron Crabtree has picked up the mantel. Thanks for the good service John! Thank you Ron as well.

October 21st, 2013 – Our 55th Meeting!!
The next meeting of the Nashville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Monday, October 21st, 2013, in the visitor’s center of Ft. Negley Park, a unit of Metro Parks, Nashville, TN. This is located off I-65 just south of downtown between 4th Avenue South and 8th Avenue South on Edgehill Avenue/Chestnut Avenue. Take Exit 81, Wedgewood Avenue, off I-65 and follow the signs to the Science Museum. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM and is always open to the public. Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed.

As many Civil War students know, the main infantry weapon used by both sides was the rifle-musket and a lot of older smoothbore muskets. These weapons were loaded one round at a time down the muzzle of the barrel with charges rammed home, and then after placing the percussion caps by the hammer, the weapon could be fired. Three rounds per minute was the typical rate of fire during the war.

Technology even before the war brought change through breech loading and even repeating weapons. Single shot breech loaders, with a higher rate of fire, were developed such as the Sharps and Burnside carbines. Repeating rifles, carrying from seven to sixteen rounds in internal magazines came right afterwards. The 16 shot Henry repeating rifle, forerunner of the famous post-war Winchester repeating rifle, was available as early as 1862. The Union Army turned it down for its cost, perceived waste of ammunition and, supposedly, no place to lock a bayonet; by contrast the pro-Union Home Guard of Kentucky bought them and were thus better armed than most Union Army regiments despite being state militia! The seven shot repeating Spencer rifle did have a bayonet lug but even that excellent weapon was turned down by the War Department. It took visionary soldiers like John Wilder and William S. Rosecrans of Ohio, to see the combat potential of these excellent weapons.

Wilder purchased Spencers on his own with Rosecrans’ blessing to equip his new brigade of mounted infantry. He demonstrated the devastating firepower of the rifle at Hoover’s Gap in June 1863 when his men blew away an attacking Confederate division. From this point forward, other Union units obtained Spencer rifles and, in 1864, Spencer carbines, which became favorite weapons of the cavalry arm. The Henry rifles would equip such units as the Western Sharpshooters (66th Illinois Infantry) and later the 7th Illinois and other regiments. At places like Allatoona Pass and Franklin, the firepower of the Henry rifles was a s close to a machine gun as it would get for infantry arms. The Confederates supposedly dubbed them the “guns you could load on Sunday and fire all week.”

Speaking to the Nashville CWRT this month about these weapons will be Greg Wernke. Based near Nashville, Greg works at Vanderbilt University and is a veteran of these weapons in live skirmish competitions and thus knows more about them than most people would. He writes an online blog about them that he can tell us about where he posts lots of information about them. For those that went on the Tullahoma Campaign tour in June Greg allowed attendees to fire these weapons at Hoover’s Gap. We hope you will attend this informative program.

LAST MONTH’S MEETING
We certainly thank last month’s speaker, Stewart Cruikshank, for his program on Union General James Negley. As part of the Army of the Ohio and the later Army of the Cumberland, General Negley was linked to Nashville. Indeed, Civil War Fort Negley bears his name today and is the largest surviving fort of its kind in the nation from that war. From his early days through the debacle at Chickamauga, we learned numerous aspects of his life. For those interested, Mr. Cruikshank’s book on General Negley is sold at Fort Negley Park in Nashville.

MEMBERS AND DUES – The membership has decided that every May will be our fiscal year. Please plan on taking care of your membership renewals at this meeting. The annual dues structure for the Nashville CWRT is as follows:

When your dues are paid your name badge with three stars on it will be available at the following meeting. If your badge does not have three stars on it then you are not current. Our dues go to paying for speakers as well as donations for Civil War preservation causes especially those of a local nature. Please be sure to pay your dues so we can offer the best programs possible for you! We also utilize donated items for silent auctions each month to help add to the treasury. If you have something you would like to donate for these auctions, please bring them to the meetings. Books, art, or anything Civil War, works very well. Thanks very much to all of you who have made such donations!

CIVIL WAR AND ASSOCIATED NEWS AND EVENTS

Annual Battle of Chickamuaga Seminar In The Woods – March 7-8, 2014

Noted Chickamauga historian Dave Powell and Chick-Chatt National Military park historian Jim Ogden hold another of their annual Seminars in the Woods, a tactical tour and study of different aspects of the three day Battle of Chickamauga. The purpose of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Study Group is to create a forum to bring students of the American Civil War together to study and explore those events in the fall of 1863 that led ultimately to the creation of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park … “for the purpose of preserving and suitably marking for historical and professional military study the fields of some of the most remarkable maneuvers and most brilliant fighting in the war of the rebellion.” The tours begin on Friday, March 7 continuing on Saturday, March 8, 2014. Friday’s tours will involve a tour bus. We will be charging a small fee for use of the bus. The tours are:.

Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 – George Thomas and the XIV Corps advance to Chickamauga.
In the morning, we will explore the XIV Corps crossing of the Tennessee, visiting Shellmound, Jasper, and Trenton between roughly August 30th and September 9th; much of this exploration will also include following Rosecrans and army headquarters since Rosecrans and Thomas spent much time together during these movements
Park at the Visitor‘s Center. The bus will depart and return from there. On Friday afternoon we will cross Lookout Mountain, and follow Thomas’s corps into McLemore’s Cove and then on to Crawfish Spring, in the town of Chickamauga.

For Saturday morning: 8:30 a.m. to Noon- The tour covers where Union Gens. Baird and Brannan Engage, September 19th . This tour will be part walking and part car caravan. The tour will return to the vicinity of Jay’s Mill and Winfrey Field, to explore the developing fight on September 19th. The primary focus will be on Brannan’s engagement with Wilson’s and Ector’s Brigades of Walker’s Confederate corps, Baird’s entry into the fight, and Liddell’s counter-attack. We will meet at the visitor’s center, and then car-caravan to Jay’s Mill Road. Saturday Afternoon: 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m -.Gordon Granger and the defense of Horseshoe Ridge. The tours finish on Horseshoe Ridge, following the Union Reserve Corps onto the battlefield and describing the ensuing action. It will focus primarily on that part of Horseshoe Ridge beyond Hill 3, out to the end of the Union line. Meet at the visitor’s center, and then car-caravan to Snodgrass Hill.

Cost: Beyond the fee for Friday’s Bus, there is no cost for tour participation. Meals lodging, transportation, and incidentals, however, are the individual’s responsibility.

Tour Departures: All tours will meet at the Chickamauga Visitor’s Center at the designated start time, and will depart from there after some brief overview discussion. We will board the bus or car caravan to the designated parking area, and from there, we will be on foot. We will be on foot for up to three hours, so dress and prepare accordingly. Tours will depart rain or shine. Participants are responsible for their own transportation, and should plan accordingly. All tours are designed to be self-contained, so participants who cannot attend the full schedule are still welcome to join us for any portion of the weekend.
Lodging and Meals: Everyone is responsible for their own lodging and meals. There are many hotels in the greater Chattanooga area, to fit most any price range. The closest are in Fort Olgethorpe, Georgia, with the least expensive in Ringgold. Each tour on Saturday is designed to leave at least 90 minutes for lunch, and there are several family and fast food restaurants within minutes of the battlefield. There are designated picnic areas near the Visitor’s Center, for those who wish to bring a lunch and eat on the field.

What to bring: Each tour will involve extensive walking. Proper clothing and especially footgear is essential. Dress in layers, wear sturdy, broken-in walking shoes or boots, and be prepared for some rain, as spring can be quite wet in North Georgia. We will be walking on dirt and gravel trails, uncut fields, and through stretches of woods. The ground will be wet and muddy in places. Bring your own water and snacks. For more details go to – http://chickamaugablog.wordpress.com/

Knoxville, Tennessaee Civil War 150th Events Announced

Three key events for the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War in Knoxville are coming starting this month. The Fort Sanders event has passed but on November 8-10th, events will be held at Fort Dickerson, which is right across the river from Neyland Stadium. The Knoxville CWRT has contributed greatly to its preservation and interpretation. Lastly, in late November events will take place at Fort Higley. Head on over to East Tennessee and take part in these terrific events.

For more details please visit – http://www.knoxcivilwar.org. The web site also offers a downloadable map for a Civil War walking tour of downtown Knoxville and much more. Other events being held in the area are also listed. Further information can also be obtained by calling (865) 227-6398.

Johnsonville State Historic Park, located in New Johnsonville, Tennessee, is having their 149th Anniversary celebrations for the battle of Johnsonville which took place on November 4, 1864. Confederate cavalry commander Nathan Bedford Forrest struck the massive Union supply base on the Tennessee River on that date after capturing gunboats and transports, and ultimately destroyed millions of dollars in supplies earmarked for Gen. William T. Sherman’s army in Georgia. While a huge dent in the Union supply efforts, the raid failed to stop Sherman and his March to the Sea which began not long afterward.

Events include cannon firings, infantry encampments and guided tours of the earthworks and more inside the park by Jerry Wooten. All events are free. The new park visitors center has a wonderful museum and film telling the story of Johnsonville from Union supply base through Forrest’s raid. There is also a gift shop within the center.

For more details please visit their web site at – http://www.tn.gov/environment/parks/Johnsonville/. Johnsonville State Historic Park is located right off US Highway 70. You can get there from Interstate 40 from Exit 143/Tennessee Hwhy 13. Go north until US Hwy 70 and turn left/west. The park is about an hour from Clarksville and can be reached by taking TN Hwy 13 south from Clarksville to Waverly and then take US Hwy 70 west to the park.

Tennessee Valley CWRT Civil War Symposium – The Civil War In The Tennessee Valley Area, November 2, 2013

Join the Tennessee Valley Civil War Round Table and the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library at the Huntsville, Madison County Library in Huntsville, Alabama on November 2, 2013, to explore the strategic importance of the Tennessee Valley, along with other related activities. The event begins at 9 AM and ends at 4: 30 PM. Huntsville is about 2 1/2 hours from Clarksville.

Featured Speakers and Topics: A full range of outstanding historians and authors – There will be other events and displays, including a book dealer, during the day.

There is a single admission fee for the Featured Speaker presentations – $15 for general audience; $10 for Active Duty military personnel (ID required); $5 for students up through and including college (ID required for college students). For more information please email – tnvalleycivilwarrt@gmail.com

Lotz House Museum in Franklin Has Blood Drive – November 30, 2013

On the 149th Anniversary of the battle of Franklin, the Lotz House Museum with the American Red Cross, has a blood drive from 10 AM until 3 PM. “By hosting the Red Cross blood drive, it brings relevance to our everyday lives and gives us a way to participate and take action to help those in need today,” said J. T. Thompson of the Lotz House. The Lotz House is right across Columbia Road from the Carter House and was heavily involved in the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864. To set up your appointment email Mr. Thompson at – JTT@lotzhouse.com

April 15th, 2013 – Our 49th Meeting AND 4th Anniversary as well.
The next meeting of the Nashville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Monday, April 15th, 2013, in the visitor’s center of Ft. Negley Park, a unit of Metro Parks, Nashville, TN. This is located off I-65 just south of downtown between 4th Avenue South and 8th Avenue South on Edgehill Avenue/Chestnut Avenue. Take Exit 81, Wedgewood Avenue, off I-65 and follow the signs to the Science Museum. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM and is always open to the public. Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed.

OUR SPEAKER AND TOPIC: Author and historian David Bastian will discuss “Grant’s Canal in the Vicksburg Campaign”

David Bastian’s slide presentation, based on his book, references the two Union campaigns against Vicksburg and focuses on the efforts to divert the Mississippi River away from Vicksburg by digging a canal across the narrow bend opposite the town. Had they succeeded, they would have had immediate and complete control of the river (definitely in the summer of 1862 and possibly in the winter of 1863). Beyond Vicksburg’s geographical significance, Mr. Bastian will also discuss the city’s topography and why this made the city very defensible for the Confederacy. This said, if the Union had succeeded in its plan, Vicksburg would have lost much of its importance as a Union objective.

Mr. Bastian is a retired hydraulic engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where among his accomplishments he had a 6-year stint in Panama as a delegate to the tri-national Commission for the Study of Alternatives to the Panama Canal.
Bastian holds a degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech and a master’s degree in river engineering from Delft in the Netherlands. He is now a practicing engineering consultant.

LAST MONTH’S MEETING
Jerry Wooten, superintendent of Johnsonville State Park, gave an excellent program on the building of that site as a major Union supply base that assisted the Nashville Depot as well as Nathan Bedford Forrest’s raid there in November 1864. Supported by a wonderful Power Point program, Jerry filled in the details of the creation of the site, the extension of the Nashville & Northwestern Railroad from Kingston Springs to Johnsonville to get the supplies to Nashville and how important it became in supplying the needs of the Union Army operating in Tennessee and Georgia. Forrest’s raid, which destroyed the depot and millions of dollars in supplies, devastated the site which was never rebuilt by the Union. This was a wonderful and informative program given by a gifted historian. If you have not visited the Tennessee state park there you should.

MEMBERS AND DUES – The membership has decided that every May will be our fiscal year. Please plan on taking care of your membership renewals at this meeting. The annual dues structure for the Nashville CWRT is as follows:

When your dues are paid your name badge with three stars on it will be available at the following meeting. If your badge does not have three stars on it then you are not current. Our dues go to paying for speakers as well as donations for Civil War preservation causes especially those of a local nature. Please be sure to pay your dues so we can offer the best programs possible for you! We also utilize donated items for silent auctions each month to help add to the treasury. If you have something you would like to donate for these auctions, please bring them to the meetings. Books, art, or anything Civil War, works very well. Thanks very much to all of you who have made such donations!

CIVIL WAR NEWS AND EVENTS

April 20th, 2013: “War in the Mountains III” symposium set for Lincoln Memorial University

Lincoln Memorial University presents another Civil War symposium focused on the Civil War in the Appalachian Mountains. In this symposium, three speakers will present on the following topics:

1. Dr. Wilma Dunaway will discuss “The Civil War and Emancipation through the Eyes of Appalachian Slaves.”
2. Dr. Michael Toomey will lecture on “The Campaign that Never Was: The Union Invasion of East Tennessee, 1861.”
3. Dr. Brian McKnight will discuss “The Roles of Weather and Terrain in the Rise and Fall of Felix Zollicoffer.”

The registration fee is $30 and the symposium will be held at the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum at LMU in Harrogate, Tennessee. The university is located at the southern end of Cumberland Gap, itself an important Civil War site and national park.

The Saturday program will last from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m., and include two breaks. Lunch is not included in the registration fee. For more information contact Carol Campbell, director of programs, at 423-869-6439 or 800-325-0900, ext. 6439. She can be reached by email at: Carol.Campbell@lmunet.edu

June 6-8, 2013: “East Tennessee in Turmoil” – A Filson Civil War Field Institute Program

The Filson Historical Society of Louisville, KY continues its series of presentations and field trips. Participants for this tour will meet in Greeneville, TN, and travel throughout East Tennessee by bus over the two days. These sites include:

• the East Tennessee Historical Society Museum in downtown Knoxville
• Bijou Theater, the location of the Lamar House, a center of secessionist activity.
• Fort Dickerson in Knoxville
• the site of the Battle of Blue Springs, two Burnside victories during East Tennessee Campaign
• Dickson-Williams mansion, where John Hunt Morgan spent his last night on Earth as a guest of the family.
• the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, where his home, his tailor’s shop, his grave, and the museum are located.
• Abingdon’s Sinking Spring Cemetery, where John Hunt Morgan was first buried and the infamous John Floyd still lies.

Dr. Brian McKnight, associate professor of history at the Univ. of Virginia – Wise, will be the tour’s guide. His first book, Contested Borderland: The Civil War in Appalachian Kentucky and Virginia (Kentucky, 2006), won the James I. Robertson Literary Prize in Confederate History. His most recent book, Confederate Outlaw: Champ Ferguson and the Civil War in Appalachia, tells the story of the Confederacy’s most notorious borderland guerrilla and was awarded the Tennessee Historical Commission’s award for the Best Book on Tennessee History for 2011. Additionally, he co-edited The Age of Andrew Jackson and appeared on the Ashley Judd episode of NBC’s Who Do You Think You Are?.

Fieldtrip Fee

$280 for Filson members;
$330 Non-members
Includes all admission fees to museums and parks, chartered bus, two lunches, a reception and one dinner (Thursday evening).

To reserve your place:

A non-refundable deposit of $50 (Due by 4/22/2013) per person is required at time of registration and balance is due to the Filson by May 28, 2013

To assure your field trip reservation, you can register on-line through Eventbrite. (additional fees apply)http://www.eventbrite.com/event/3585760105#
Payment can also be sent to:
The Filson Historical Society
c/o Scott Scarboro CWFI
1310 S Third Street
Louisville, KY 40208

All participants are responsible for their travel arrangements to and from Greeneville, TN and making their own hotel accommodations and dinner on Friday evening. During the fieldtrip we will travel by chartered bus as a group.

Starting on March 13th, Fort Negley will host an exhibit called “Voices of the Battlefield.” This multi-panel exhibit is the product of Brian Allison of Traveller’s Rest in Nashville. The panels will tell the stories of the Battle of Nashville and preservation of area Civil War sites. The exhibit will remain at Fort Negley into September so be sure to drop by to see it.

Civil War Land Under Development Threat in Atlanta at Peachtree Creek Battlefield (Civil War Trust)
Atlanta’s massive development over the last 100 years has swallowed up most of the three battlefields that decided the fate of the Gate City of the Confederacy. The first of these, Peachtree Creek, fought on July 20, 1864, was John Bell Hood’s first battle as the new commander of the Army of Tennessee. While this neighborhood was developed many years ago with stately homes and a large golf course, a few pockets of pristine land remain.
In Atlanta, just minutes away from city offices and downtown attractions, 14 acres of brush and woods have caught the eye of apartment housing developers. That in itself is nothing new. But what makes those 14 acres special is this: The prime piece of in-town real estate is also a part of Civil War history. A Confederate army brigade encamped there during the summer of 1864, ahead of what became the Battle of Peachtree Creek — which soon after led to the decisive and costly Battle of Atlanta. The non-profit Civil War Trust says nearly 20% of American Civil War battlefields have been destroyed and, of those that remain, only 15% are protected as national parks.
Many of the battlefield sites are now in urban or suburban communities, on valuable land. And there have been some highly publicized skirmishes in recent years as preservation groups fought to keep large companies from developing the sites. In the case of 14 acres of Atlanta woods, the property’s owner wants to break ground later this year on a 236-unit apartment complex. But local residents would like the grounds to be looked over before the bulldozers start their work. “If there were some archaeological or historic significance to this particular area, I think that would definitely add some value to the neighborhood,” Wyatt Gordon, president of the local neighborhood association, told WXIA-TV.
Two Upcoming Civil War Tours – Tullahoma Campaign and Fort Donelson Campaign in June, 2013

Noted author and historian Michael Bradley, author of the first book on the Tullahoma Campaign, and Greg Biggs (Clarksville and Nashville CWRTs) will co-lead a tour of the Tullahoma Campaign to celebrate its 150th Anniversary. The date for the tour is Saturday, June 22nd, 2013. The tour will meet in Murfreesboro and travel by bus for the day seeing sights from Hoover’s Gap, Liberty gap and Shelbyville to Cowan and Sewanee Mountain where the campaign ended. Details will follow very soon.

Another tour, led by Greg Biggs, of the Fort Donelson Campaign, will be held on Saturday, June 29th, 2013. The tour will feature members from several CWRTs and will take the entire day seeing sights outside of the national park as well as the park itself. The tour will leave from Clarksville that morning and there will be a meeting on Friday, June 28th at Clarksville’s Fort Defiance Park for a tour of that site. The tour costs $20 per person if paid before June 10th: $25 per person afterwards.

For more information on both tours please email Greg at: Biggsg@charter.net